


Make a Wish

by chibi_nightowl, zappedbysnow



Category: Batman (Comics), Red Robin (Comics), Under the Red Hood
Genre: Birthday Fluff, Don't copy to another site, First Kiss, Light Angst, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-25
Updated: 2019-08-25
Packaged: 2020-09-25 07:04:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,410
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20372683
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chibi_nightowl/pseuds/chibi_nightowl, https://archiveofourown.org/users/zappedbysnow/pseuds/zappedbysnow
Summary: Usually it's Tim who forgets his own birthday. But there's another bird who does it too.





	Make a Wish

**Author's Note:**

> We meant to get this out for Jason's birthday but... well... Better late than never?

“Jesus fucking Christ, am I glad that’s over.” Jason huffed a heavy sigh and leaned back against the old brick wall, the rickety fire escape barely holding his weight and Tim’s if the low groan was anything to go by.

Tim had a grapple line ready, just in case. But this was the best place to watch the GCPD do their job, so he tried not to shift around too much. “You can say that again.”

The case had been long and arduous, one that took them weeks to get even this far. Drugs, guns, trafficking, this new gang dabbled in it all, which made it extremely difficult to get a bead on exactly who their leader was. The arrest occurring on the streets below was a calculated risk to see who stepped up to pay this guy’s bond or the defense attorney who most certainly wouldn’t be a public defender from the overworked DA’s office.

“I still don’t like it,” Jason murmured, digging through his pockets for a pack of cigarettes. The lighter poked out from the inside.

“I don’t either, but we’ve hit a wall and you know it.”

Jason frowned as he flipped open the front of his helmet, eyes shielded from view beneath a red mask. “Yeah, yeah. I just hope this gamble pays off. Polermo was our best lead and we just threw him to the wolves.”

“I like to think wolves have better taste than stale cigarettes and cheap polyester suits.”

A sharp laugh, barely suppressed before it could carry far into the night, met Tim’s ears, making him grin. It wasn’t often he could get that kind of reaction from the other man, but it was definitely happening more of late. Probably because of the amount of time they’d spent together lately, on patrol and in his perch, collecting and sifting through evidence, putting together the pieces. It had been easy enough to join forces once they realized the connection between the cases that happened to overlap one night right after Tim’s birthday.

“Well, I think I’m just gonna go home and pass the fuck out. You probably should too because there’s no amount of Botox that’ll hide those bags under your eyes.”

“That’s for wrinkles, not for bags.” Tim aimed his grapple line for the next roof over. “I’ll catch up with you in the morning?”

“Yeah, whatever. Don’t you dare call me before ten or I’ll shoot first and ask questions later.”

It was a sign of how much things had changed that Tim knew Jason was only half joking when he said that. “Deal.”

He fired the line and swung away, leaving the smoke of a freshly lit cigarette behind him.

Tim wanted nothing more than to take a shower and fall into bed himself, and spent most of the run home debating about whether he should stay up to write the night’s report or save it for morning. This was his case after all; well, his and Jason’s, so it wasn’t as though Bruce would shoehorn his way in unless something really blew up or went sideways all to hell.

Shower and sleep won out. The hot water felt so good on his shoulders, massaging away the stress and tension of the last few days. Tim just about passed out right there. Taking that as a sign, he turned off the water and reached for a towel. 

His nightly routine finished, he sat down on his bed and reached for his phone, habitually swiping at the screen to check his messages before his brain would let him power down. The date flashed on the screen as he tapped it open and he paused, staring at the numbers.

August 16.

It took a moment to click, then another for the time to register. It wasn’t midnight, not yet. If this were a normal night, Tim would say this was way too early to be in bed, but the last few days had proven to be far from normal.  It meant there was still about an hour left of Jason’s birthday. A birthday the man either completely and utterly forgot, or he decided it wasn’t worth mentioning because he didn’t think anyone would want to celebrate it with him.

The latter thought had Tim getting out of bed and marching to his dresser, weariness falling away as adrenaline and renewed purpose replaced it. It was the work of a moment to get dressed, and it only took another minute for him to grab his tablet and track down where Jason was crashing for the night. Luckily, it looked to be the apartment he was calling home these days rather than some random safe house. An apartment that wasn’t far from Tim’s own home in the heart of Crime Alley.

Good, it meant he still had some time to work with.

Grabbing his phone, Tim dialed a number he’d memorized last week when Jason ordered pizza for the two of them at that same apartment during one of their plotting sessions.

“Hi, yes. I’d like to place an order for delivery…”

* * *

The knock on his door nearly caused Jason to drop his mug of tea. Here he was, minding his own business in his own place and just trying to wind down from the last few grueling days and some asshole had to interrupt him.

Fucker.

Jason felt less than charitable as he rose from the sofa, not even bothering to hide the fact he was packing. Anyone who came knocking at the door in the Bowery at this time of night was either expected or had the wrong fucking address.

“Whaddya want?” he called through the door, not bothering to open it.

“Pizza delivery for Jason?” a muffled voice replied.

Pizza? What the hell? 

“You’re kidding.”

“Nope! All paid for too.”

Now Jason knew he was being scammed. He unlocked the door and opened it, ready to give the guy a piece of his mind and perhaps scare the shit out of him, when he spotted Tim hurrying down the hallway behind the delivery guy from what was his current favorite pizza place.

“Hey, sorry I’m late!” Tim rushed up and handed Jason one of the plastic bags he carried. “Thanks for getting here so fast,” he said to the delivery guy, handing him a ten and accepting the two large boxes of pizza.

“No problem!” The guy nodded and walked away, blissfully unaware of just how close he’d come to getting shot.

“Timmy, what the fuck are you doing here?” Jason asked when the door was closed and locked behind them.

“I didn’t exactly have much time, so I kinda did this all on the fly. You like that beer, right?”

Jason frowned and opened the bag. Inside was a six-pack of his current favorite, a pale ale that was devilishly good after a long ass night racing around the streets and rooftops of Gotham. 

“Yeah, but that still doesn’t explain what’s going on.”

Tim gave him a quizzical look, then laughed slightly. “All the bakeries are closed right now, but ice cream works too.” He held out the other bag.

Glancing inside, Jason saw a half-gallon tub of Neapolitan ice cream. “Huh?” he asked, looking back up.

“Happy birthday, Jason.” Tim laughed louder at what was undoubtedly a blank look on his face as he put it all together.

Jason shook his head, feeling like an utter moron. “Didn’t even look at the date today.”

“I can tell.” Taking hold of his wrist, Tim guided them into the kitchen where he set down the pizza boxes on the counter. His grip was warm and firm, one of the first times Jason could remember Tim voluntarily touching him. It sent a shiver down his spine.

Releasing him, Tim rummaged through a couple of drawers before finding one that held a few skinny candles. “Not exactly what I had in mind, but we can make it work. Got a light?”

Wordlessly, Jason dug into his pocket and held out his lighter. 

Tim opened the lid of the ice cream and plopped the candle right in the middle, lighting deftly. “Make a wish,” he said, holding it up.

“Wishes tend to backfire on me a lot.” More like all the time because damn, he was wishing for something really hard right now, and the chances it would come true were slim to none, not with their history.

“They only do that if you tell someone what you wished for.” Tim winked.

Realizing he still held the beer, Jason set it down on the counter beside the pizza. This was a dream, right? He had to be dreaming. “Aren’t you supposed to sing or something?” he asked, stalling.

[](https://imgur.com/vCXjqbw)

_ “Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you,” _ Tim started singing in a low, slightly off-key voice that was not helping the state of Jason’s nerves at all.

Fuck it. If he was making a wish, it was go big or go home. Jason kept his eyes on Tim as he finished singing.

_ “Happy birthday, dear Jason. Happy birthday to you.” _ His lips curled into another smile. “Make that wish.”

_ I wish I could spend more time with you, just like this. _

Jason blew out the candle.

Tim beamed and plucked the candle out of the ice cream before the wax had a chance to drip onto it. “There, that wasn’t so hard, was it?”

“Painless so far.”

“How do you want to do this? Dessert first?”

If only Tim had an inkling of what went through Jason’s mind when he said that. Shoving those thoughts aside, Jason grinned. “We’re both adults here. Ice cream.”

Tim grabbed a couple of spoons from the drawer and handed one to Jason. Apparently the fact that ice cream was eaten out of bowls was a foreign concept to him as he dug in. Still, they sat down at the table because they weren’t complete heathens. 

“Why did you come all the way over here?” Jason asked after a minute. “I know it’s not far, but you were about as dead on your feet as I am.”

“It’s your birthday, Jay,” Tim replied, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. 

Jason wanted to melt at how easily the nickname rolled off Tim’s tongue. What was he doing to him tonight? Jesus. “I have one every year. Or almost every year.”

Tim kicked him in the shin. “Not funny.”

Ow. Little shit. “Still doesn’t answer the question.” 

“I didn’t want you to be alone on your birthday,” Tim replied after a moment, fiddling around with his spoon. “I wasn’t sure if you’d forgotten or if you thought no one would want to celebrate with you.”

The retort died on his tongue before it even had a chance to come to life. That was… unexpected, as was the warmth that grew in his chest. “Thank you, Tim. Seriously.”

Tim smiled again, digging his spoon into the strawberry part of the ice cream. “You’re welcome, Jay.”

Jason knew his gaze was locked on that spoon as Tim’s lips closed around it. He imagined his tongue swiping over the frozen treat, licking as it melted in the heat of his mouth. Damn, he had it bad.

“Do I have something on my face?” Tim asked, lowering the spoon and wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, then assessing it with a frown when he didn’t see anything.

Oh damn, this was his chance. Jason swallowed, mind racing as he tried to come to a decision. Did he dare take this next step? Was Tim even interested? It would change everything if he wasn’t, but…

Fuck it. Fly-by-the-seat-of-his-pants plans were just as much his style as they were Dick’s. Better thought out too.

“Yeah, right there.” Jason pointed to the corner of Tim’s mouth.

Tim wiped it again and frowned. “Did I get it?”

“No, lemme do it.”

Taking a deep breath, Jason dove in, capturing Tim’s lips with his own. 

* * *

To say that Tim was surprised when Jason kissed him was an understatement. At no point in time had he ever entertained the hope that this man returned even an iota of his long-suppressed feelings, yet here he was, caught in a tender moment with Jason almost delicately licking the corner of his mouth.

Taking a chance, Tim parted his lips to allow Jason entry. 

They both moaned, low and deep in their throats when Jason surged forward, exploring the corners of Tim’s mouth even as Tim reached out and wrapped his arms around Jason’s neck, tangling the fingers of one hand in his damp hair.

Oh, this was so much better than anything he hoped for when he hatched his insane little idea earlier. 

Large, warm hands dropped to his waist and tugged. Without breaking the embrace, Tim slid from his chair and into Jason’s lap. The angle was deeper here, different, and he took advantage to swap roles, chasing after Jason’s tongue to all but devour his mouth. It was sweet from the ice cream, but beneath that was mint and some other herbal taste, probably from the tea Jason favored as he wound down from a long night. He’d talked about it once, suggesting it to help him in his quest for sleep.

Slowly, they parted, lips chasing after each other for brief kisses as the initial rush of passion settled into a low simmer. 

Tim could only remember feeling this alive twice in his life and both times involved a mask. Here, this close to Jason, there was nowhere to hide.

“Well, that wasn’t exactly what I wished for, but damn, I’ll take it.” Jason shook his head and gave a rueful smile. 

“This wasn’t exactly what I had planned when I came over here.” Tim leaned in and stole another brief kiss. “But I’m not complaining either.”

“I suppose we have to talk about feelings and all that crap then?”

“Not yet. It’s still your birthday, why spoil it?”

“Hate to break it to you, but it’s after midnight. No longer my birthday.”

Tim tugged on Jason’s hair, still tight in his grip. “Tomorrow it won’t be your birthday anymore. As far as I’m concerned, it’s not tomorrow until you wake up.”

“Spoken like a true son of the Bat.”

“Hey, I was a night owl long before I met Bruce, thank you very much. Now get back over here and kiss me.”

  
  



End file.
